Thoughts on everyday life and inspiring others to contribute to life in a positive way.

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Friday, December 2, 2016

Like Confetti

Like many in
America, my family and I watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. To be
honest, we aren’t much of a parade family, but it was nice to hear the Broadway
songs and watch them dance. It was nice to see some of the pop and country
artists perform. I like the big floating balloons the best I think.

As I watched, I
noticed confetti floating down at various points and several thoughts occurred to
me. Who cleans it up? It can’t just be custodians or maintenance folks, because
there has got to be a mountain of it when it is all swept up and pushed to one
end. But the bigger question to me is, where did it all come from and who cut
it up?

Think about that
for a minute . . .

It’s paper (I
think) and someone has to take the time to cut up paper into squares and
triangles. First of all, that’s a lot of paper, and secondly, that has to take
a lot of time. For several, hopefully more than several, people to spend time
doing that, I hope they got paid a heck of a lot of money because it had to be
mind-numbing work, and my next thought was, who did they annoy and upset enough
to be the appointed confetti makers?

For our
commencement ceremony, we use confetti sticks. The tube is filled with tiny
blue and gold strips of paper and at the end of the ceremony on a count of
three, the seniors release them up over their heads. It is an awesome sight and
one of my favorite things about the commencement ceremony. I’ve seen pictures
from the stands and if there is just a slight or no breeze, there is a
beautiful blue and gold cloud that shimmers and shines just above our
graduates. Pretty!

I kinda sorta
think Chris, our building engineer, isn’t so enamored with it though. He has to
take a machine and clean it off the turf field and it is time consuming. Some
of it comes right off. I’ve actually seen some kids pick up a few pieces to
hang onto. Some of it gets ground into the turf surface. Other bits get blown
off somewhere, anywhere the wind or breeze will take it.

Got me thinking
. . .

What if we were
to spread kindness and compassion Like Confetti?

It is certainly
less time consuming than cutting up pieces and bits of paper. There isn’t any
clean up that I can think of. There is no effort involved. It doesn’t take any
time to smile, to say, “How are you doing?” to someone, to offer a hug or a
handshake or a fist bump.

I suppose you
could argue that sitting with someone in need, whether it is in silence or actively
listening as they pour their heart out takes time. But think about the benefits!

A person in need
is comforted. A person feels connected and cared about. A person feels
understood. A person no longer feels alone.

And I believe it
makes us better people if we extend the effort. We reach out beyond our own
little world to let another know we are there, and in turn, many times, often
times, it is reciprocated when we need it most.

And Like
Confetti, some of it will be collected and remembered. Some of it will go where
it goes and no one will know how far it might go. Some of it will remain and be
reused in a different way. But wouldn’t our world, everyone’s world, be a little
better off if we could do just one or two positive “gives” each day? Wouldn’t
our world, everyone’s world, be better by our giving of ourselves, whether it
is a touch, a smile, a hug or a handshake? Wouldn’t our world, everyone’s
world, be better if we give just a moment or two to someone in need, to lift
up, to be there, to say, “Hey, I’m here if you need me?” Something to think
about . . .

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